


When Winter Comes Early

by KiAiSky



Category: Frozen (2013), Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Friendship/Love, Jelsa - Freeform, Kind of follows cannon, Romance, feelings of betrayal, out of control powers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-27
Updated: 2018-01-23
Packaged: 2018-04-11 10:30:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 7,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4431839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KiAiSky/pseuds/KiAiSky
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Over three hundred years ago, Jack Frost's heart was frozen solid. Since then he'd wandered the realms as the bringer of winter, happily doing his job and bringing fun. That is, until one day Jack finds out that someone has done his job for him, six months too early.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Time

**Author's Note:**

> Greetings! This is my first fanfiction on the Archive, and I’m excited to give this a whirl. I’ve read some really wonderful Jelsa stories, and I wanted to try my hand at writing one. I hope you enjoy! This is going to be a slow one, and my path should become obvious soon.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Rise of the Guardians or Frozen, both are property of Dreamworks Animation and Disney Animation respectively.
> 
> Please excuse any grammar mistakes! I work alone.

**When Winter Comes Early **

Chapter One: Time

 

It had been nearly three hundred and something years since he’d become Jack Frost. He’d woken up, and that was that. It had been a long time since he’d been whoever he’d been before, and he didn’t remember much. The memories he’d been allowed to see had been short and sweet, but they’d been too much to bear. He couldn’t handle seeing more, remembering more. He’d never asked Toothiana for more. It wasn’t worth the heartache. North assured him it was best that some things be left forgotten, left to be wondered about. Bunny believed that he was better off just looking towards the future.

It had been nearly fifteen years since he’d been selected by the Man on the Moon to become a guardian. That many years since he and the other Guardians had faced off against Pitch Black, and as many years since he had been seen for the first time by Jaime and his friends.

It had been nearly three years since Jaime and company had outgrown him and simply stopped believing. Upon their completion of college, they had no more need for fun, no time. They were adults now, and though it hurt, Jack knew it was past his time and he had to let go.

There were only a small handful of children who still believed in him, and he was powerless to fix that. He’d spent decades doing everything he could think of just to get one person to hear him, to see him. And it was only a matter of time before he was back to having no believers. It was incredibly depressing.

But he was no longer in the same state he was before. He finally had found friends in the rest of the Guardians. They were the questionable beings he called family. He cared for each and every one of them in his special way. He was unique amongst the Guardians; he didn’t need believers to maintain his wintry powers. Things didn’t have to go back to the way they were before. Things would be different this time, he’d promised himself.

As the Guardian of Fun, he’d always tried to enjoy his job- bringing winter to the lands as the seasons changed. He made games out of frosting blades of grass, seeing how many tomatoes he could ruin with winter’s kiss, drew beautiful designs on windows and waters with his icy touch. He even took his time on occasion, covering the lands in glimmering white snow in delicate layers. Winter was beautiful and dangerous, like a fine woman- or so he’d heard.

He loved travelling the realms and seeing the different kinds of people and creatures. He smiled when the animals finally went to rest for the cold months, and he laughed when mothers warned their children that he was going to ‘nip at their noses’. He, of course, would personally do no such thing. But if they refused to heed their mothers’ warnings, Mother Nature would see to them. Some things were the same no matter where he went.

Yes, he loved being a winter spirit; he loved his job.

And hearing that someone else was doing his job for him… That just didn’t fly with Jack Frost. 


	2. Source

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nordis is the realm that contains Arendelle, Corona, the Southern Isles, Andalasia, the Isle of Berk, and a couple others (not that they’re of any particular importance). Earth exists in a different realm, but it’s not really that important. Just so that the time periods doesn’t seem out of line. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Rise of the Guardians or Frozen, both are property of DreamWorks Animation and Disney Animation respectively. 
> 
> Please excuse any grammar mistakes! I work alone.

** When Winter Comes Early **

Chapter Two: Source

 

He’d never noticed anything particularly special about the realm of Nordis. Sure, there were dragons and some other magical creatures and beings, but they’d never affected him in any special way.

He never would have returned to the kingdom of Arendelle during the summer months, but Mother Nature instructed him to investigate something rather strange.

 At this time of year, the hills and fields would be covered in green grass, a spectrum of flowers, and wildlife of all kinds. Jack was surprised to see that the entire land was being covered in snow and ice, magic stemming from the North Mountain. The summer’s eve was rapidly turning to a cold winter, nearly six months ahead of schedule.  

 This was certainly unusual.

 He gripped his staff tighter and flew quickly, examining the lifeless mountain for anything out of the ordinary- aside from the summer’s snow.

 Then he saw her.

 She was running up the steep side of the mountain, leaving a deep trail of snow behind her. She was very beautiful, he thought, with icy blonde hair and light blue eyes. Her fancy gown and cape dragged through the snow, slowing her down considerably. It was clear that she’d been running for quite some time and was growing fatigued. He then noticed the small, delicate crown sitting atop her head, indicating that she was royalty. It was covered in jewels and gleamed in the moonlight.

 He flew closer, silently floating behind her and observing.

 He could feel the icy magic flowing from her, sending the winter spiraling around her. She was the source of the untimely winter.

 “Who do you think you are freezing the lands like this?” Jack mumbled, annoyed. She was way off in her timing and she was taking his job away.

 It wasn’t like she would hear him anyways. She was a grown woman and not many people believed in him anymore.

 And so when she turned around and screamed, he was so startled that he fell to the ground, dropping his staff.

 “Please, stay away,” she said softly, but forcefully. She was panting heavily due to her exhaustion.

 The young woman backed up and held out her arms, like she was trying to maintain the distance between them. He locked eyes with her, and it was obvious that she was speaking to him.

  _She can see me?_ He thought to himself with wonder and delight. It had been many years since someone had been able to see him, many years since he’d been spoken to by a stranger. And she was no child, that much was obvious-and even stranger.

 Jack got to his feet, brushing the snow off his arms before picking up his staff. He stepped forwards toward her.

 “No, please, don’t come any closer,” she pleaded. The fear in her eyes was visible, painful.

  _What happened to this poor girl?_ he asked himself.She looked petrified, and as far as he knew her fear wasn’t directed at him. He felt bad for her, for some strange reason.

 “Why?” he asked, raising a white eyebrow, continuing his approach.

 He looked closer at her person, noticing that she wore only one light blue glove. She was slender and willowy, perhaps a few inches shorter than him. Her eyes were by far her most stunning feature, and even in the faint moonlight, he found himself mesmerized by them. Her light blonde bangs were askew and her cheeks were light pink with blush.

 “I don’t want to hurt you,” the blonde said sincerely, her expression indicating her desperation to get away.

 Jack laughed loudly, tickled that she thought she could hurt him with her ice- ice of all things!  

 “You know, I’ve been doing this for a long time, and the cold never bothered me,” he grinned.

 Why would it bother him? He was a winter spirit. He preferred the cold!

 She looked terribly confused, and he didn’t blame her. It was obvious that she had no idea who he was. Again, it wasn’t like many people believed in him.  

 “Just please, don’t follow me. I just want to get away so I don’t hurt anyone else,” she asked again. Jack didn’t know what she meant by that, and didn’t have a chance to ask.

 She turned on her heel, running away as fast as she could in heels.

 “Wait!” he cried, grabbing her slender wrist to try to stop her. He needed to talk to her, to ask why she froze Arendelle, and to ask why she was so scared.

 An icy explosion suddenly burst between them, the source coming from where he touched her. Jack was thrown backwards in a cloud of snowflakes, travelling fast in the air until he plopped down in the snow over twenty feet away.

  _What the hell?_ He thought to himself, stunned at what had just occurred.

 He sat in his snow pile, scratching his head as he watched the beautiful young woman run further and further up the North Mountain.

 Whoever she was, she hadn’t seen the last of Jack Frost. He would see to that. 


	3. Sing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Basically, this chapter is about Jack watching Elsa sing “Let It Go”, and he figures out what's wrong with her. I wanted to use this chapter to build up to their second encounter. Hope to update soon. Enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Rise of the Guardians or Frozen; both are property of DreamWorks Animation and Disney Animation respectively. 
> 
> Please excuse any grammar mistakes! I work alone.

** When Winter Comes Early **

Chapter Three: Sing

 

Maybe if she weren't so tired she would have run faster, he imagined, but she wouldn't be able to run from him. Not forever. 

She was nearing the top of one of the highest peaks of the North Mountain, overlooking the kingdom of Arendelle and the grand mountain range that separated the country from the rest of the world. The sky was lightening now, signaling that dawn was just around the corner. Jack had to admit that he was impressed at her endurance. For any other (normal) individual, it would have taken them several times the length of time it had taken her to reach this altitude. Jack knew that the air was frigid and thin this high up, but she didn't seem to be affected by it. He wasn't either, but he was a winter spirit, so it didn't mean anything for him. 

He kept himself hidden in the snow banks, ducking behind them when he thought that she might see him. Of course, she never did. Jack wasn’t used to hiding from anyone other than North’s yetis- and those guys were good.

He waited for a chance to speak with her again. He eagerly watched as the fear in her bright blue eyes slowly started to melt when she took in her new surroundings. It had been many years since she's been allowed to leave the quiet walls of the castle, and the world was a beautiful place. 

Adendelle was a lovely kingdom, regardless of the season, but Jack thought that it looked best when covered in a white snowy blanket. The castle was tall, jutting out into the bay, obviously the centerpiece of the village. Around it were tiny houses and shops, aligning the narrow streets. It was a rather large kingdom, a center for trade and commerce.

It was then that she started to sing. She had a beautiful voice, he thought to himself with a smile.

Jack finally understood, listening to her song, that she had been taught to fear her icy powers, told that she had to keep them hidden. 

" _Conceal, don't feel. Don't let them know_." 

It nearly broke Jack's heart to listen to that. She was _painfully_ afraid of her powers. This poor young woman had spent years hiding away because she didn't want to hurt anyone, because she was afraid they would turn her away. 

How could anyone suffer so much? It was no wonder she looked so sad and scared when he first tried to approach her!  

He watched with mild fascination as the young woman's features practically transformed, her song taking a turn from its sad tune. She spun in a circle her arms out wide. 

She flared her snowy magic in one hand, and then the other, the frosted air forming tiny snowflakes that melted as they fell.

She was alone, finally! (or so she believed, at least). 

" _Let it go_ ," she sang, swirling a pile of snow together to make a curious looking little snowman. 

_Sad excuse for a snow creature; I could make a much better one than that,_ Jack critiqued with a crooked frown before continuing after her, not caring to spend another moment looking at it.

She sent two more flares of frost high in the sky, smiling as they cascaded through the cold winds before vanishing. 

She laughed out loud; perhaps in shock of what she'd finally done after all these years of hiding.

There was no one for her to hurt up here. She was free! 

She sent snow flying one way and then the other, playing with her gift for the first time in what must have been ages. She reminded him of a child on Christmas in the realm of Earth, practically giddy with excitement. 

It was then that it hit him- this icy blonde haired woman had forgotten how to have fun. It was as though she never had a childhood really. He was sad for her, and he resolved himself to fixing this grievous error. She could see him for a reason, and maybe this was why. Maybe he was meant to help her. 

Her magic was special, and he knew then and there that he would help her find a way to enjoy it and be free.

" _The cold never bothered me anyway_ ," she said as she unclipped her cape, sending it flying through the air. 

_That’s what I said,_ Jack thought with a smug smirk, knowing the words to be familiar from their interaction merely two hours ago.

She ran forwards, up the mountain. She seemed to have caught her second wind; the delight found in her powers giving her the energy to finish the trek upwards. She sang with a smile now, going on about how she'd worried about hiding herself for so long and how she was finally able to be herself and be free. She turned to around looking to see how far she'd come, and Jack had leap to flatten himself against the ground in the deep snow so she wouldn't see. He knew that he had to time his approach properly.  

By the time he'd dug himself out, she was scaling a staircase of ice. Jack had to admit, it was excellent work, full of intricate and beautiful detail. He was sure he could do better himself, but for an obvious first-timer, he was almost impressed. 

He gasped when she stomped her foot down, and a giant snowflake sprouted beneath her. She raised her arms, and the snowflake began to elevate from the ground as pillars and beans of ice grew beneath to support it, and then he understood what she was constructing- an immaculate palace of ice.

Alright, Jack Frost was impressed by that.

The towers and columns rose from the ground and the walls climbed higher and higher around her, obscuring her from his sight.

He rushed forward; hiding as best he could behind the wall on what was quickly becoming a balcony that overlooked the rest of the mountain range.  

He watched in fascination as the blonde added elaborate details to the floor of her castle, the outline of a snowflake apparent in the pale blue light radiated by her powers. The delicate features of an icy chandelier began to stem from the recently formed roof, looking like a complex three-dimensional snowflake.

He was confused when she removed the tiara from her head and threw it away, releasing a thick braid of pale blonde hair. She used her magic to generate a beautiful shimmering gown and silvery blue cape, a trick Jack had learned many years ago.

If he’d found her beautiful before, she was stunning now. The blue-eyed woman was smiling and looked so full of life compared to the first time he’d laid eyes on her. Her light blue eyes were clear and she happy instead of petrified.

“ _That perfect girl is gone!_ ” Jack would beg to differ.

He jumped when he realized she was coming directly for him, and he pressed himself to the side of the ice palace.

“I’m alone, but I’m alone and free,” she said, her song as complete as her castle. Her voice was strong and consigned to her fate, as she stared into the dawn. She was smiling sadly, but she seemed to finally be at peace.

He narrowed his snow-white eyebrows as he stepped out of the shadows.

“Alone? Hardly,” he grinned.

She screamed and spun around, sending a deadly sharp icicle directly at his head without realizing what she'd done.


	4. Salutations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading this far! Please enjoy this rather tiny chapter. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Rise of the Guardians or Frozen; both are property of DreamWorks Animation and Disney Animation respectively. 
> 
> Please excuse any grammar mistakes! I work alone.

** When Winter Comes Early **

Chapter Four: Salutations

 

Jack gasped, startled by her sudden attack. It probably hadn’t been the best idea he’d ever had to approach her like this, but his instincts told him that this was what needed to be done, that this lovely woman needed someone to guide her out of fear and into fun the hard way. As the projectile neared his head, he held up his icy, hooked staff to block, and the deadly icicle dissipated into a sprinkle of harmless snowflakes, which fell to the floor of the balcony soundlessly.

The woman held her hands to her mouth, trying to hide her shock and horror. It was obvious that she didn’t mean to strike at him, that her powers were out of control; and she was scared- either of him or for him. Perhaps even both.

“Who- who are you? How did you get up here?” she stammered, backing away from him slowly until she was pressed against the thin icy railing.

He gave a small frown in one corner of his mouth, unsure of the best way to approach the situation from this point. He didn’t like the way she moved away, the way her eyes hardened and posture stiffened with tension. Jack would never teach her to have fun like this. He needed to loosen her up; he needed her to have some kind of hope.

“Don’t be scared; I’m not going to hurt you, miss,” the winter sprite spoke softly, in hopes to not spook her into attacking again. His brilliant blue eyes tried to convey whatever message he could that would assure her that she was safe, that everything was going to be okay. Even if she was out of control, he would help her.

“That’s not what I’m afraid of.”

Jack smiled lightly, trying to get her to understand that he wasn’t a threat, and she wasn’t a threat to him.

“You won’t hurt me, I promise,” he paused. “What’s your name?” he asked, a part of him dying to put a name to the face. She was possibly one of the most beautiful women he’d ever laid eyes on, and he’d seen many lovely women over his years of traveling all of the realms.

“Elsa,” she whispered, her light blue eyes apprehensive.

_A lovely name for a lovely woman_ , he thought as his eyes quickly took in her incredibly figure. She looked so different in this glimmering blue dress. Her hair was wild and lively, making her appear older and untamed. Compared to how she looked the first time he’d seen her, he almost would have thought her to be an entirely different person.

 “Elsa,” he repeated, testing it on his tongue. “I think you might already know who I am. You and I have a lot in common, after all.”

Jack extended his shepherd’s staff and summoned a tiny bit of his power. A small gray storm cloud formed over her, and petite snowflakes began to fall around her in a tiny flurry.

His smiled broadened as he heard her gasp, mesmerized by his magic. She held up a tentative hand, catching a few of the crystals in it, where they didn’t melt. Her dainty mouth was slightly open, emphasizing her astonishment. While she was distracted, he took a few lengthy steps toward her.

“My name is Jack Frost, and it’s a pleasure to meet you,” he offered her his hand, leaning in.

She at his hand before her gaze travelled up to meet his, where he was pleased to note that she was no longer scared. Elsa’s eyes were full of wonder and hope, amazement and even a note of excitement.

She slowly reached out and took it, his long and cold fingers wrapping around hers firmly. This time, when they touched, there was no explosion of ice, no forceful gale to jettison him backwards and off the balcony.

As Jack Frost looked into Elsa’s eyes, he felt something stir inside him that he hadn’t felt in more than three hundred years.

“I have a lot to teach you.”

And that was an understatement.


	5. Inquiry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the lack of an update. I started my PhD program and got a little sidetracked! But neither love nor academia may get in my way forever! March on. Forgive my tiny chapter. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Rise of the Guardians or Frozen; both are property of DreamWorks Animation and Disney Animation respectively. 
> 
> Please excuse any grammar mistakes! I work alone.

** When Winter Comes Early **

Chapter Five: Inquiry

 

Jack promised to return to Elsa later that day, after she’d given herself a chance to rest. She’d been up all night climbing the North Mountain and had simply wiped herself out. He didn’t doubt that she had massive magical reserves and that she should continue to practice her gift, hone her skills. But he knew that no one had fun when they were running on fumes.

Elsa, to no surprise, didn’t understand his joke. Jack laughed at himself for making a reference that didn’t have a place in her realm, almost forgetting that he normally couldn’t speak with adults.

After passing through Berk to leave a light frost on the fields, he traveled on.

He needed to know more about Elsa. She was reluctant to speak about her past and her powers, having barely said a word in the few hours in which they’d conversed, and there was only one person Jack knew who could let him in on the truth to her fear.

But she wasn’t being readily helpful.

“Please Tooth, I really need your help. Elsa from Nordis needs me,” Jack asked, following the feathered fairy closely.

He may be proud, but he wasn’t above begging the situation called for it. And if he wanted to help the icy young woman, he might need to.

“Now Jack, you know it’s against the rules for me to allow you to look into a child’s memories," she said, chipper as .

“But that’s just it, she’s not a child! Elsa’s a fully grown woman, beautiful in fact! And she needs my help.”

It didn’t slip Jack’s notice the way Toothiana’s amethyst eyes widened slightly and her mouth opened just the smallest amount.

“Can she- can she see you, Jack?” Tooth asked quietly.

“Yeah, that’s the strangest part!” Jack exclaimed excitedly. After all, it wasn’t every day that someone could see him!

Tooth, however, didn’t share his enthusiasm. Her brow furrowed and her eyes hardened- a reaction that was very surprising to him. She turned away and continued walking, working. She was silent, another thing that was incredibly unusual for the Tooth Fairy.

“What’s the matter?” he put a hand on her narrow shoulder, trying to get her to stop and talk to him for a minute. Yeah, she was constantly busy, but she could at least answer his questions and help him. She’d never been this difficult before.

“I can’t help you,” she mumbled, pulling herself away from his touch. She didn’t even make eye contact when she spoke.

_Can’t or won’t_? Jack wondered with a hard frown. She had never said no to helping him like this before. This was a bigger deal than he’d originally thought.

“Tooth,” he stepped in front of her, blocking her path. He gripped both of her shoulders lightly, forcing her to look at him. He hesitated before continuing, unsure why he was suddenly so worried. “What’s wrong?”

Her purple eyes were hard and narrowed, and her bottom lip trembled slightly.

Jack wasn’t sure if she was angry, jealous, sad, or all of the above. He didn’t like the way she stared at him, but he disliked her response more.

“No adult has ever been able to see us before. The oldest believer we’ve had in all my time as a Guardian was Jamie, and he was special. If she can see you, it can’t be good.”

A knot formed in his throat as she continued speaking.

“We might not have to worry about Pitch at the moment, but there are other things out there… Things you’ve never had to think about, horrible creatures and nasty spirits. We shouldn’t overstep our boundaries."

Jack knew that there were other forces of darkness in the universe, but those couldn't possibly have anything to do with Elsa! She was just scared and needed someone to teach her how to have fun. He refused to believe he wasn't meant to help.

“We’re the Guardians of the Children, not grown women. Do the job you’re meant for, don’t get involved in things could put us all at risk.”

Jack couldn’t understand. They were supposed to help people, regardless of the threat to themselves. Did it really matter if they weren’t biologically considered children anymore? Even though she’d explained why, he still didn’t get it. How could she expect him to just forget about Elsa? She shared his gift, she could see him, she _needed_ him!

“But-“ he started, but was cut off.

“I’m not going to let you look into her memories. I want nothing to do with your concerns for this woman. Now leave.”

He suddenly found himself speechless. Tooth refused to help him; she was angry enough to make him leave. As one of the protectors of children, he knew she had a large heart that was able to love unconditionally, but for whatever strange reason, she wasn’t acting herself.

Jack had suspected that she may have developed feelings for him following his initiation into the Guardians. But they’d worked together for years, surely she would have said something by now! Tooth wasn’t known for her subtleness. So even if she was a little jealous, her attitude still didn’t make sense.

Without another word, Jack Frost left the Palace.

 -

Hours later, several more short and unpleasant conversations later, Jack was no better off. Neither North nor Bunny had given him much in terms of information, and both of them had outright refused to help him, but without the hard edge Tooth had. They spouted the same garbage as her, telling him to just do his job. The only one who expressed any kind of remorse for his inability to help was the Sandman.

He didn’t understand what their problem was. They were meant to help people, dammit! Not sit idly by. Since when were they such cowards? He’d been sent to Arendelle for a reason; he knew that Elsa being able to see him meant something.

None of the Guardians would hear him out in his pleas to help Elsa. Fine, Jack didn’t need them; he would do it all by himself.

 


	6. Helping Hand

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Grad school has gotten the best of me, but there's a little bit I want to share with you all.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Rise of the Guardians or Frozen; both are property of DreamWorks Animation and Disney Animation respectively.  
> Please excuse any grammar mistakes! I work alone.

** When Winter Comes Early **

Chapter Five: Helping Hand

 

“Are you sure?”

“Do it,” he said firmly. He was beginning to get a little frustrated. He knew what he was doing; yes, they hadn’t known each other for very long, but to make a change sometimes one had to take a leap of faith. He’d heard that somewhere once upon a time. He’d had it with her fears on the matter, and he felt like it was time. _Now or never_ , he thought to himself. She wasn’t getting out of this, he would see to that.

“Jack…?” she said breathily as he closed the distance between them, his cool hands scarcely touching her bare skin. He could see the goose bumps rise as he placed his palm against hers.

“It’s okay, Elsa,” he assured her, as she started to pull away from his grasp for fear that she would hurt him.

He closed his large hand around hers, stilling her trembling hand. He could tell that she was terrified, even if she was hiding it. He was getting better at noticing when she was trying to hide things from him.

He moved his fingers so that hers were entwined within his and he tightened his grip.

Elsa’s sharp intake a breath concerned him, but he remained silent. For a change. He glanced up, taking in her expression.

It was the first time in nearly eight years that she had touched another human being, skin on skin. Sure, Jack wasn’t exactly human anymore, but it was the closest thing she’d had in so long. An amazed smile began to spread across her face, her icy blue eyes glistening in the early sunlight. Her mouth was slightly open, as through she couldn’t believe it was truly happening.

She was touching someone, and she wasn’t going to hurt them. She didn’t have to be scared that she might do it on accident. She’d spent years isolating herself, hiding in her room, away from her parents and her sister.

This man had stumbled upon her in her weakest moment, when she had finally gained the courage to flee her country and seek solitude for the sake of the ones she loved. She couldn’t hurt him with her powers, she didn’t need to fear freezing his heart.

He was Jack Frost, after all.

 _She’s so beautiful,_ he thought as he smiled back, staring into her blue eyes.

“How…” she whispered, squeezing his back. Elsa had worn her gloves dutifully for so long and she’d kept away from people as much as possible that she’d forgotten what it felt like to touch someone.

Jack chuckled softly. With everything she could do, how was magic not the only answer that comes to mind?

“I’m Jack Frost; do you really think you can hurt me with _ice_ powers?” He raised an eyebrow, as if he were almost challenging her to try. “I’m meant to help you; I was sent here for a reason.”

“Sent?” she asked softly, watching with wide eyes as he took her other hand in his so he held both of hers.

“You’ve forgotten how to have fun, and it is my personal mission to remind you.” He smirked, ignoring her question.

Oh what fun.

 

 


	7. Games

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack and Elsa have some good ol' fashioned fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Grad school guys. That's my only excuse.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Rise of the Guardians or Frozen; both are property of DreamWorks Animation and Disney Animation respectively.   
> Please excuse any grammar mistakes! I work alone.

** When Winter Comes Early **

Chapter Seven: Games

Her powers were truly amazing; Jack was almost jealous. But his pride would never let him admit that out loud.

The sun had set many hours ago, and he still had not left Elsa’s side. He wasn’t sure why, but he felt like he needed to be there- like he couldn’t bring himself to leave her. He knew he couldn’t shirk his duties for long, but for one night everything would be fine. At least, that’s what he told himself. What could really go wrong though?

Pitch Black was gone, and as far as he knew there weren’t any other threats that the Guardians had come across in their combined centuries. Unless there was something they weren’t telling him. But that certainly couldn’t be true.

He watched with quiet fascination as she swirled frost clouds like a current with her fingers. They glimmered in the lamplight, but her eyes shone even brighter than the frozen fractals. (Her words, but hey, she stole his first.)

A smirk crept onto the icy Guardian’s face as he too summoned his winter powers, feeling the energy flow into his hand.

She was smiling softly, not quite ignoring him, but busy trying to pass the time without talking. She had politely clammed up when their conversation had approached a sensitive subject- why she was so scared of her gifts. For whatever reason, it was the middle of the night and she wasn’t tired. She’d had a very long last two days, but the power of freedom was coursing through her and she was simply too riled up to rest.

Taking her distraction for his advantage, he struck.

Elsa squealed in a rather un-ladylike fashion when the snowball pelted her square in the face, entirely in surprise and not in thermal alarm. She toppled over, tripping over her own feet in a very graceless manner.

“Oh my, Elsa, I’m so sorry!” He couldn’t help but burst out laughing at her reaction, but he hadn’t meant to make her scream. He just wanted her to lighten up and _have some fucking fun_. Watching her was enjoyable, but he was a troublemaking sprite, and sitting still like this just wasn’t in his nature.

Jack was bent over laughing, tearing forming in his eyes. He had never imagined Elsa could be so unpoised and startled by a simple snowball.

What he also didn’t imagine was that she would throw a large one right back at him! He’d been so distracted by his own laughter that he didn’t even notice that she’d encased his bare feet in ice, forcing him to pause before he took off after the beautiful young woman who laughed as she ran further into her castle of ice.

Jack was pleased with himself, listening to her genuine merriment echo off the crystalline walls she’d constructed. His plan was working.

He chucked a snowball at her as she ran up the massive staircase, chuckling as it hit her square in the behind. Choosing to play on equal terms this time and not fly, Jack ran several steps behind her, preparing another round in his palm.

When the soft snowy boulder landed on his head, he was momentarily confused.

“Play fair, Elsa! That’s not how a snowball fight works, and you know it!” the pale-haired man called, flicking some snow from his hair. He was grinning now, enjoying their little game more than he should have.

How often did he get to chase a beautiful woman who could _actually_ see him? He knew he was in danger of betraying his own frozen heart, but for whatever reason he didn’t seem to care. She needed him right now, and he for right now here he would be. It had been so long since he’d been needed- since he’d been able to enjoy someone else’s company (besides the Dundee bunny).

Jack had her cornered on the balcony, she was giggling with a snowball in her hand.

“I’ve got you now,” Frost smirked. He tossed his own weapon in the air a few times, smugly daring her to throw hers first and miss. He knew just what to do now, after all he’d faced one evil villain before in his Guardianship. He knew how a monologue worked.

“You tried your best, but I’m afraid that it just wasn’t enough this time.” He slowly warped his magic around her heels, knowing that she wouldn’t be able to feel his subtle magic freezing her feet to the ground just as she’d done to him. “Did you really think you were powerful enough to defeat the mighty Jack Frost? The Guardian of Fun, Bringer of Winter, the Almighty Ice Demon?” Alright, he made that last one up, but he thought it sounded cool, intimidating. “I’ve vanquished you, Snow Queen.”

His brilliant blue eyes glinted in mock evil.

He threw his snowball first, charging her as she attempted to dodge and was fooled by his trick. Well, it was her trick first, no need to get into the semantics. She screamed in delight as she stumbled over her frozen shoes and fell backwards. Jack grabbed her by the waist and rolled them both, making sure that she fell on him instead of directly on the ground.

She was heavier than he expected, but it had been a while since he’d been able to touch a fully grown woman. They landed with an _oof_ , Elsa giggling in his arms in a quite uncharacteristic way. It had been a long, long time since she’d laughed like this- even longer since she’d played.

Jack laughed with her, thrilled that she had given in to his games and was managing to enjoy herself a little bit. The winter sprite was also happy because she was in his arms and hadn’t pulled away.

“Alright, Ice Demon, you win this round,” she smiled down at him, laying on his chest still. “But I’ll conquer you yet.” She boldly tapped him on the nose.

In her freedom and near solidarity, Elsa was beginning to find herself again. She’d stopped being herself ages ago, and it would be a long time before she was fully at peace. But she reluctantly would credit Jack Frost as being a critical key in her opening her up. He made her feel like she wasn’t to be feared, like she was normal. Her powers weren’t so terrible; he reminded her that she once used them to have fun.

He couldn’t recall a time in his life that he’d held a woman in his arms. Not even when he’d been human. He’d always liked girls, but he’d never had a chance to really get to know any until now.

And for that, Jack was suddenly very nervous.


	8. Mother Dearest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Opening Notes: Happy (belated) holidays, hope everyone is great! Going through some rough personal stuff, but it motivated me to write a new little chapter. Please enjoy. Also, the pacing of things might be a bit awkward. Frozen moves quickly, over the course of only a few days in total. OH well.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Rise of the Guardians or Frozen; both are property of DreamWorks Animation and Disney Animation respectively.   
> Please excuse any grammar mistakes! I work alone.

** When Winter Comes Early **

Chapter Eight: Mother Dearest

He’d left when she started to fall asleep, knowing he had work that he was falling behind on. He flew quickly to the US Midwest, summoning a mighty snowstorm that would surely cause severe traffic incidents in the morning to come, but not a snow day. It was a bit early in the season for one, he thought.

He watched the ground beneath him as the flakes fell and stuck to the dark asphalt roads that were dimly lit by the street lights. He wasn’t prepared to fall from the air and hit the ground though.

His staff dropped from his hand as he skidded on the street, road rash covering his hands and his face. His body ached from the impact, and his skin stung. He couldn’t be killed but damn he could get hurt. He struggled to his feet, shaking some of the snow off of his person.

“Ah, what the f-“

“Watch your mouth, Jack Frost,” a stern, familiar voice cut him off sharply.

_Shit_ , he looked up into her dark and clearly irritated eyes. _Mother Nature_. He was not pleased to see her, his supervisor. _This can’t be good_.

“The winter situation in Arendelle has not been take care of,” she noted, unamused. Her arms were crossed in front of her chest. He hated when she did that.

“I’ve been working on it,” he uncomfortably rubbed the back of his head, his blue eyes averting her gaze. “It’s a bit more complicated that I’d anticipated.” That was putting it lightly.

How could he possibly explain _Elsa_ to Mother? Not only was she a human with extraordinary abilities, but she was a grown woman who could see him! The other Guardians had not been as warm and excited as he’d hoped about Elsa, and Mother was already frustrated with the seasons being out of balance. She outranked the Guardians, second only to Father Time and the Man on the Moon. If his family couldn’t accept Elsa, he doubted she would be intrigued in a positive way.

She raised a dark eyebrow at the winter sprite. Complicated was certainly an understatement.

“See, there’s this girl…” he started awkwardly, bending down to retrieve his staff.

“I’m well aware of the young queen’s abilities,” the goddess of earth sighed, making things dramatically easier for Jack. He didn’t have to explain, thank goodness! She waved her hand at a nearby puddle, covering it in frost- just as Jack and Elsa could do. “She’s quite talented. I’d imagine she could take your job if she wanted it,” she smirked slightly, giving him a glance he wasn’t quite sure how to interpret.

Take his job? _What_? And she was a _queen_? How had that not come up in their conversations?! Jack supposed she _had_ been wearing a crown when he’d first laid eyes on her, but that didn’t mean anything to him at the time. There was much more to Elsa’s situation than he’d been aware of.

Not only was she struggling to control her powers, she also had to rule an entire kingdom. A small part of him wondered where her king was- he’d never heard of a queen ruling without a king- but that faded quickly. Mother Nature was waiting.

“It seems that Elsa has poor control of her powers when her emotions get involved,” Frost surmised to his superior. Her fear of her powers was the root of her problems. If she couldn’t conquer her fear and master her gifts, there was little hope for Arendelle to recover its summer. Sure, together Jack and Mother Nature could overcome her power (for a time maybe) and thaw the unnatural winter, but Elsa was powerful and surely history would repeat itself. “I don’t fully understand what’s happened, but I believe she has experiences some sort of emotional breakdown and as a result has cursed her country. I don’t think it was on purpose though. I don’t even think she’s aware of the extent of the winter she’s wrought.”

It was obvious Arendelle’s winter and Elsa were linked. Jack was frustrated that he’d not gotten her to open up as much as he’d thought. His head was still spinning at the knowledge she was a queen. He knew he needed to return and speak with her, to get a firmer grasp of what she was going through. Fear of her powers wasn’t the only problem. Elsa was extremely reserved, she was withdrawn from the world and from all people. Surely there must be something Jack could do. 

“I fear that things will get worse before they get better…” Mother shook her head dismally, a sense of knowing about her. Though she was irritated that the seasons were out of whack, she remembered her days as a Guardian and empathized with the young woman. It had taken her several years to get used to her own gifts and to master them, but she had found a great mentor in the Man on the Moon. And that was exactly the role she’d intended for the Guardian of Fun- mentor. “You were sent there for a reason, Jack.”

Jack knew exactly what it was- she needed him to show her how to have fun. How to open herself up. How to accept her gifts and more importantly herself. With their shared powers, he knew he could show her how to control them better and to control her terror over her own abilities. He would teach her to return her country to its intended season. 

“I need a few more days with Elsa. She’s finally begun to open up to me,” he explained. She was a very reserved woman, and he was taking great lengths to chip away at the frozen walls she’d built around herself (quite literally). He’d seen such progress in their short time together, and if he pushed a bit harder he knew he could make a difference. “I know the seasons need to be returned to normal, but I need get her to let go of her restraints and to have fun.”

“Be careful, Jack. Only love can thaw a frozen heart,” she warned, hoping he understood the underlying meaning in her words.

She vanished in a swirl of thick snowflakes, leaving him alone with his road rash. Jack really needed to learn that trick.

He quickly finished the storm he’d manifested and returned to Arendelle and Elsa, but he was not prepared for what he’d found... 

 

 

 


End file.
